Surprise of the Age
by ForeWARNE
Summary: Sly is turning seventeen in two days and Bentley and Murray have no idea what to get him. When they steal a few artifacts, one of them brings a girl named May from another place. A different world to be exact. (2nd Story out of 5)(The Sigil Series)
1. Chapter 1: Contest Wreck

Surprise of the Age

Chapter 1: Contest Wreck – (May's P.O.V.)

Today is the day that I finally beat her. Her tricks, routines, combinations, and strategy will fail. I've been trying, since the Kanto Region Grand Festival, to beat her for so long. She's always found a way to destroy my strategy. But not this time. I tend to make up for that. Today is the day I beat Solidad.

"May? May, honey. Are you alright?" a voice asks. I snap out of my thoughts and turn around to see my mother. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little nervous." I reply with a smile. "It's alright to be nervous. Just remember. No matter what happens, we are all very proud of you for how far you've come on your journey." She says. "Thanks mom." I say as I hug her. "And now it's time for our final contest battle for this year's Sinnoh Grand Festival." An announcer said. 'It's time. Here we go.' I thought to myself. I started walking down the hall. I turn my head to see my mom waving at me. I smiled and turned my attention back towards the hall. I grabbed two pokeballs from my pouch since it was a combination battle. I decided to go with Beautifly and Blaziken for this battle. It may seem odd, but I was confident about their ability. There was light at the end of the hallway. "Good luck, Korma. You're gonna need it, where you're going." A voice said. I stopped and looked around. There was no one there. That was odd. After a few seconds, I continued towards the arena, thinking to myself who was "Korma."

As I pass through the tunnel, I walk towards the battlefield. I already see Solidad in her position on the other side. I get into my position and put a confident smile on my face.

"And now, to begin our contest battle finale, we have the smooth and elegant Solidad on one side and the confident and strong May on the other side." The spokesperson said. She was right about one thing though, I was pretty confident. I look out into the stands to see my mom and dad and my little brother Max sitting in a place where they'd get a good view of the battle." I hear Solidad shout towards me. I turn my head to look at her. "Thanks. Good luck to you too." I shout back at her.

"Coordinators, bring out your Pokémon!" The spokesperson said. Solidad brought out two pokeballs and threw them into the air. They revealed to be a Vespiquen and a Gardevoir that she had caught while traveling throughout the Sinnoh Region. It was my turn. I threw my pokeballs and brought out Beautifly and Blaziken. The timer appeared and the battle was about to begin. "And now, let the battle begi-" the spokesperson said before cutting off. Something was wrong.

Before anything could be said, dark clouds literally started appearing over the stadium, followed by raindrops. It became heavy rain in a matter of seconds. As if things couldn't get any worse, a gust of wind started blowing. I covered me head with my hands so as to not get hit by any flying debris. That's when the worst thing of all happened.

The wind was now starting to twirl in the center of the field. It was a tornado! But there was something weird. As the tornado formed, it looked like it was glowing green. A few of the raindrops started glowing too, but they were glowing blue.

"It's time to bring the Thief and the Trainer together." A voice said. I recognized it. It was the same voice I heard earlier when I walked down the hallway. And then, it's as if my whole world stopped.

The tornado was coming closer to my Pokémon, but they didn't move. In fact, Beautifly's wings weren't even fluttering. It's as if time had stopped but I was still able to move. The tornado passed them and came towards me. I thought it was gonna past me as well, but I was wrong. I was lifted off the ground and was sent twisting in the twister.

A bright light came from the tornado and the wind sent me into it. I thought I was gonna die, but the light had a different fate in store for me. I don't know where I was going, but I was gonna get there in a hurry by the speed I was traveling at.

I didn't understand what was going on, but I figured it had something to do with that voice. And that's when the name, Korma, came back to me. Just who was Korma? I guess I was gonna find out when this light comes to a stop somewhere. Wherever it's taking me, I know I'm not gonna like it at first glance.


	2. Chapter 2: Tears of Sadness

Chapter 2: Tears of Sadness – (Sly's P.O.V.)

"How long am I supposed to stand here, Bentley?" I asked, slightly annoyed from being woken up at six o'clock in the morning. "Just a few more minutes, Sly. I need all of your measurements for the heist tonight." He said with a cough in his voice. "Yeah right. In case you haven't noticed, you're the one who's gonna wear the disguise while Murray is the distraction and I swoop down and snatch the valuables. I may not be as smart as you, but I'm not stupid either. Why are you really taking my measurements?" I asked my turtle friend. He stiffened but kept the measuring tape to my torso. He didn't say anything. That's when I got the idea. "This wouldn't have anything to do with my birthday now, would it?" I asked. He backed away from my body, leaving me space to cross my arms. "N-no. I-it d-doesn't. W-why would you think that?" he asked quickly. "Because I'm getting more praise than I usually do. I see you and Murray acting very suspicious. And now you're taking my measurements. Ok, I have to ask. What are you getting me?" I asked him. Bentley looked me straight in the eyes. "Now Sly, you know I'm not going to say anything except that it's a secret." He said. I sighed, already knowing what that meant. "You don't know what to get me, do you?" I asked. Bentley sat in his wheelchair like a statue. The only noise he made was his breathing and a gulp I heard come from his throat. I sighed again and looked down at the ground. "It's alright, Bentley. I don't care if you don't get me anything or not. Not that I'm in the mood for any gifts." I said, barely holding a smile. Bentley looked at me with a sad smile. "She doesn't deserve you." He said. I nodded and left the room.

The safe house we were staying in had two levels. My room was on the second floor, for obvious reasons. Bentley couldn't because of his wheelchair and Murray because of weight issues. So I at least had privacy when I needed it. It had already been six months. I opened the door to my room and laid down on the bed that was in the corner of the room. I didn't feel like moving around that much. I tried to go back to sleep, but I just couldn't. I tilted my head to the left and my eyes met a picture on top of a nightstand. The picture was me kissing a certain inspector on the cheek. After a few seconds, a tear escapes my eye. I turn away from the picture and look at the ceiling above.

'What is wrong with me?' I think to myself. 'I just don't understand why she would do that. Didn't I do anything right? Why would she fall for someone else? I thought we had a good thing going on.' I continue to think. I guess I'm not as good as I thought if she fell for someone else. I couldn't take it anymore. I've kept them back for four weeks. I let all the tears flow out of my eyes and down my cheeks. Sure, I couldn't believe it for the first three months, but when I kept seeing less of her, I knew that she started removing herself from my life. The next two months, I was so mad that I stormed off, yelled at my friends, and isolated myself from everyone. And finally, this month, the month that held the very first day of my life, came and I knew I couldn't keep pushing my friends away. They want to do something special for me, but I'm tired of surprises.

What's so special about turning seventeen? It's not like a grand holiday, so why does everyone make a big deal out of it? I let out a yawn. There are still tears falling from my eyes. So, with a sigh of defeat, I cry myself to sleep. After a few minutes, I get a tingling sensation in my body. That means that someone is in the room. I open my eyes and raise my head. I look around and no one is here. My room has a nailed up window so no one can get in through there. I think to myself that it's just nothing and go back to sleep.

"You better be ready, Cromwell. You're going to be getting an unexpected surprise." A voice said. I jolt up to see nothing there. Ok, that settles it. I'm going crazy. 'An unexpected surprise? What does that mean? And who is Cromwell? If that voice was talking to me, then it should get my name right. I'm a Cooper, not a Cromwell.' I think again. I fall back to sleep, and return to my dream world. For some reason, my dream involves a lot of rain. And a girl?!


	3. Chapter 3: Storming Rage

Chapter 3: Storming Rage – (Sly's P.O.V.)

The next few hours were not to be pleasant in my perspective. All I did was head down to the first floor and suddenly I'm sitting on the staircase and looking at a very happy Murray. Why do I get the feeling something is going on that they don't want me to know about.

"Good morning, Sly." Murray said, still holding that odd smile on his face. I raise my eyebrow in confusion. "Uhh, good morning, Murray." I say. "Whatcha doin'?" he asks in a rather childish voice. I have no choice but to answer. "Um, just about to have breakfast. If you don't mind." I reply, getting up and dusting myself off. "Not at all." He grabs my arm and pulls me to the kitchen. I stumble a bit from the force of the pull, but managed to keep myself steady. As we got to the kitchen, Murray releases my arm and heads towards the counter. I was about to do something, but he decided to speak up. "Take a seat, Sly." He tells me. "Uhh, o…k?" I reply with confusion. I do as I'm instructed, and wait there patiently with my fist under my chin. 'I wonder what he's doing.' I think to myself. After a few seconds, a bowl slides right in front of me. I raise my head and look at Murray. I'm replied with a smile and he gestures me to eat it. I look down at the bowl and its contents. I didn't know what this was.

It looked like a big pile of brown mush. And this was not oatmeal, because it was covered with red and yellow powder and had a flag sticking out of it. I hesitantly grabbed the spoon and the contents held by it. I look again at Murray. He's staring right at me, smiling and arms behind his back. I had no choice. I put the spoon in my mouth and put my jaw to work. I chewed right through it, trying to taste more of it. It tasted sweet at first, which I found to be nice, but then it happened.

When my tongue tasted the red and yellow powder, they started "exploding" with spice. My eyes shot wide open and my mouth was on fire. My hands slammed down on the table and I started looking around for something cold. There was a pitcher of icy water on the counter. I ran for the pitcher and grasped it. I began drinking from the pitcher itself and before I knew it, I finished the whole thing right down to the drop. My mouth felt relieved from the burning sensation. That was what one spoonful could do? I'd better avoid the rest of it. My eyes shifted to Murray who looked very amused and scared at the same time.

"What in the name of Cooper is that?! I shouted, my anger working up. "That was The Murray's special dish. It's called 'The Murray's Spice Builder.'" He answered, with fists raised high. I sweat-dropped and found myself breathing hard from the shout. This explains why he's always in the kitchen these days. My sensitive ears picked up a small noise coming from outside. My nose caught a faint scent of rain, also.

Murray and I rolled up a window and saw that there were groups of dark gray clouds covering the whole sky. "Well, this is strange." Said a voice coming into the room. We turned around to see Bentley entering. "What is?" I asked the turtle. "The forecast said it was supposed to be clear skies for today and tonight." He said, rolling his way to the window. "Guess they got it wrong this time." Murray said. I didn't look at him. My eyes were still fixated on the clouds. For some reason, I couldn't stop looking at them. My mind was trying to process what was going on.

The longer I stared at the clouds, the easier it was for them to turn into different shapes. I thought of different things that were easy to take shape. Rabbits, squirrels, bears, lions, raccoons, turtles, and hippos and so on. On cloud merged with four other clouds and made a picture for me to see. It was very distinct, but very detailed at the same time. It was her. I started growling, loud enough for my friends to hear. They looked at me, trying to figure out why I just did that. My anger was building and then suddenly.

I didn't even realize it, but I did see what happened. I was subconsciously raising my arm above my head. And without warning, I brought it down. Not very hard to smash wood, but still hard to cause a yell to come from me. As I did that, a lightning strike "actually" destroyed the image in the clouds. It caused Bentley and Murray to tense up and back away from the window. I didn't even move an inch. It didn't stop there. After my fury subsided, I let a tear escape my eye. It was truly time for me to let it all out. I needed to cry so badly, but before I could, the sky decided to do it for me.

A few drops were falling to the ground. They started getting bigger all the way until they were very visible. I let out a sigh, wipe my eyes, and head back to my room. All the while, Bentley and Murray kept their eyes locked on me. I did hear one last thing before closing the door that gave me privacy. "Was it just me, or were Sly's eyes blue?"


	4. Chapter 4: Night of the Heist

Chapter 4: Night of the Heist – (Sly's P.O.V.)

Tonight was the night. Tonight, I was ready. Tonight is when we make one of the biggest heists in Cooper History. In my case, it's going to be a big heist since we've never robbed The Louvre before.

The reason we're bothering with The Louvre is because Bentley got information, from one of his so many online friends, about "The Crystal Marks." Apparently, The Crystal Marks were eight different crystals that took the shape of a heart, but had a different color to each of them. Each of them were also a different kind of diamond.

They were called the Flare Ruby, the Peak Topaz, the Radiant Peridot, the Storm Jade, the Frozen Aquamarine, the Sea Sapphire, the Shadow Amethyst, and the Mind Opal. Weird names if you ask me. But if they're that valuable, then there's no reason why I shouldn't take them home with me. And now it's time.

We're all in our positions. All we had to do was wait until the Mayor gave a speech. Don't know why that's important, but since Bentley said it was crucial timing, I didn't complain. Everyone who was interested in The Crystal Marks exhibit was gathered in The Louvre, waiting patiently. The Mayor was already giving the speech and I was balanced on a wire. Below, in the line of security, I could see Murray posing as a guard while Bentley was standing… well, sitting actually…next to a row of people which was actually a counsel. As the Mayor started ending the speech, those words twisted and somehow went to a legend. "… The Crystal Marks are a famous treasure that should be allowed to be seen by everyone. But, should a true Cromwell come for them, they shall deem him or her worthy of a gift that was lost in distortion." The Mayor said, as much as I could hear. There was that name again. It's bothering me, but I shouldn't let that distract me right now. But still, who is this Cromwell? I need to know.

(Later on)

Ok, even for me, this was way too easy. I mean, did someone die or something? Because there is not a single living thing that's in this place. I thought I'd encounter at least three guards by now, but everything is deadly silent. The only sound that was heard was coming from all the people outside. Anyway, I was already close to the exhibit.

As I made two lefts and one right, there was my target. The Crystal Marks were in the center of the room. They were in a circle kind of pattern that looked like an octagon. When I got close enough, I thought I would trigger an alarm, but nothing happened. Just to play it safe, I slowly grabbed a crystal in each hand. They were beautiful. Even with no light in the room right now, they gleamed from the moonlight that was shining in a corner. There were nameplates, indicating which crystal was which. Apparently, the ones I grabbed, one was blue and one was green, were the Sea Sapphire and the Storm Jade, respectively. I made my way to grab the rest.

As soon as I pocketed the crystals in my pack, I started making my exit. It was easy. Almost too easy. I went back the way I came, and still no one was around to catch me stealing a few valuable treasures. After a few seconds of running through the hallways, a light came from behind me and whizzed right past, barely skimming my cap as I turned my head to look back. I knew that feeling of electricity anywhere. "Freeze, Cooper!" a voice said. I turned my head to see a figure standing about seven inches with a shock pistol pointed right at me. It was her.

"Well, well, well… long time no see… Carmelita!" I say with a smooth tone that soon changed into anger. "It has been a long time. Not that I have to tell you twice." She shot back. "So tell me, how have you been?" I ask, crossing my arms in the process. "Like that's any of your business. You've intruded in my life long enough. And now, it's time to put you where you truly belong. And you don't need to know anything about what's going on in my life, thief?" she shouted that last sentence. That did it. That just crossed the line. "Actually, I do have a reason to know?" I growled at her. She looked surprised because she lost her angry face and replaced it with a stunned look. "I thought we had a really good thing going on. Sure, I admit that most times I came off al harsh. That's why I always try to make amends. But now, out of all the crazy ideas in Paris, you choose one of the craziest ideas of all. I bet you never even thought how I felt." I say, tears running down my face. There was a moment of silence between us, but after five seconds had passed, she decided to speak. "Like I said before… you've intruded in my life long enough. Now, it's time to remove you once and for all!" she said. Carmelita repositioned her pistol and fired. I can't believe it. She aimed straight at my heart. She was going to kill me.


	5. Chapter 5: Dangers and Strangers

Chapter 5: Dangers and Strangers – (Sly's P.O.V.)

The blast was coming straight and me. I didn't have time to dodge. So, I quickly brought my cane up. But it wasn't enough. The shock went through me. I yelled in pain as it sent me to the floor. I clenched my stomach, gritted my teeth, and crossed my legs. This blast was far more painful to endure than the past ones I've been zapped by. I didn't realize until I saw the crystals scattered across the floor. I couldn't move, I was paralyzed.

Carmelita was walking towards me. She had a smile across her face. "You know… I could save us all the time in the world by killing you." She said. I looked at her with widened eyes. I can't believe she was actually thinking of killing me. Then again, she did aim for my heart. "But since you're a criminal, you have to pay for your crimes. So, I'll just haul you back unconscious." She continued as she pointed her pistol at my face. I could see the inside charging up with blue electricity. She wasn't going to let me live. i could see in her eyes. Her eyes were filled with hatred. "Good night, Cooper." She said as she pulled the trigger. I closed my eyes to prepare for the shock. After a few seconds, nothing happened. I opened my eyes to see the pistol still pointed at me. I was confused. Apparently, so was she.

Carmelita took her pistol out of my direction and gazed at it. She tried pulling the trigger multiple time, but nothing came out. I was forgotten for a few seconds, but it was enough to try and gather all the crystals. I managed to grab them, since they weren't that far apart. That's when I noticed.

Were the crystals glowing? Because there was a light coming from the center of each of them. Whatever it was, they were releasing a visible aura that made its way towards Carmelita's pistol. Apparently, that aura was the reason that kept her pistol from firing. I stood back up, confused that she wasn't looking at the aura. I guess this is my chance to … What the …

Just then, the Storm Jade and the Sea Sapphire grew brighter than the other crystals. It also caught Carmelita's attention. They kept getting brighter until they looked like a white light. And, just like that, the two lights escaped in a flash and flew around the hall. I didn't realize until the last second that the blue light was headed for me. The green light was forming a circle right above me. The crystals lost their glow when those two lights started flying around.

"The true power of the Pure Hearts is seen by a glow in the air." A voice said. That voice sounded familiar. But I didn't have time to think about it.

The blue light hit me right on the chest and disappeared. It felt weird. The green light made a weird buzzing noise. It shifted into a diagonal position and faced me. My ears picked up a yell that was coming from the circle of light itself. Was this a portal? And then, something came out of the "portal" and landed on me. We were sent into the air for two seconds and fell back to the ground in a sliding stop. My eyes were closed from both impacts.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a figure on top of me. It looked like a girl, from the facial features, but it didn't have any fur except on its head. This was an all-skin girl o top of me. Wait a minute … only skin?! IT'S A HUMAN?! I looked in shock. I thought humans were only in stories. I looked up to see the portal slowly vanish. I also saw Carmelita completely unconscious. Wonder how that happened. Suddenly, my eyes grew heavy. I guess it was due to the paralysis. But the last thing I managed to see was my friends running towards us.

(In a dream)

"I wasn't expecting Lord Cromwell and Lady Korma meeting like that." "Life is full of surprises, my friend. But now they've met and there's no turning back the clock." "Remember, the Eight Children are needed for our plans, even if it means going against the Sigil Code." "Klowdra! We don't speak of the Sigil Code here." Oh, give it a rest, Oogo. Both of you already have grudges against those two anyway. Let's just keep surveillance on them." "They'll find out about this sooner or later." "By that time, they won't know a thing about who they truly are and what their true purpose is when it concerns the worlds." "To think that these eight contain the sources of life to each of the worlds." "It's a gift bestowed upon them by the Original One, after all."


	6. Chapter 6: Eyes of a Different Shade

Chapter 6: Eyes of a Different Shade – (Bentley's P.O.V.)

This just doesn't make any sense. Our plan went south as soon as Inspector Fox intervened. We saw everything that happened. From Sly running into the Inspector, up to when that human appeared from that portal. Now, we're back at the safehouse with Murray tending to Sly and his wounds with medicine I taught him how to use. And me, studying this girl. We had to bring her with us. One reason being she's a human who would be tested on if scientists got to her. Another reason being that Sly, who was still unconscious at the time, wouldn't let go of her. Technically, he had his hand gripping her arm. Not even Murray could separate them with all his might. But when we got inside the safehouse, his grip suddenly released and he was still unconscious. Now, we're just looking over Sly and this girl until one of them wakes up. Then, groaning was heard coming from Sly. Speak of the devil.

"Ugh, what happened?" he asked. "You were unconscious. We're back at the safehouse. And the heist was a success." I told him while smiling. He looked at us, his eyes partially closed. "Are you ok, Sly?" Murray asked. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just remembering. I remember there was something else. A portal…and something else." He mumbled. I gestured for him to look while rolling out of his sight. "You mean her?" He looked at the human girl. His eyes were wide open now as he stood up and kept his gaze on her. Sly made his way towards the girl and knelt beside her. "Do any of you know who this is?" he asked. That was an odd question to ask. "Not a clue. I've looked multiple times on my computer for any information about her. Then again, we know so little about humans that it's near impossible to learn anything." I told him. He looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. Murray made his way to the two of them and knelt beside her as well. Sly took her hand in his and rubbed it gently with his other.

"WHOA!" Murray yelled. I jumped in my seat and Sly jolted up and fell back. "Geez, Murray. What was that about?" Sly asked, completely annoyed. "Sorry. Really sorry. It's just that I thought I saw your eyes turn blue." He said. Sly looked confused while I got closer. As Murray looked again, he widened his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, my eyes are brown." Sly said as he stood up. I went around and looked at him as well. That's when I saw it. "Murray's right, Sly. Your eyes are blue right now." I told him worriedly. This time, his eyes widened. He ran over to a mirror and saw his eyes, indeed, were blue. "I don't understand," he made his way back, "why in the world are they blue?" "We don't know, but I could run tests, if you want me to." I offered him. He sat on the floor, right next to the couch where the girl was lying on. "It's alright, Bentley. I'll just endure it for now. Like I did with Carmelita." At that moment, a tear escaped his eye. And, there were drops outside which signified it was raining. We stayed in our places, in a moment of silence, for a few minutes. "It's not your fault. Like I said before, she just doesn't deserve you. And since she's trying to kill you now, she's now proving my point." I told him. He sat there in silence, looking at the floor. Murray and I sighed and made our way to our respective rooms. 'He'll get through this. I just know it. And something tells me, that girl will help him with his heartbreak.' I thought to myself.

(?'s P.O.V.)

"That girl broke Sly's heart. I can't believe the nerve of her." "Calm down, only time will tell if his heart can be mended." "Well, we don't have much time, considering the fact that we only have five days until the attack." "Seeing the rate of how everything is going, they'll open their hearts soon enough." "That's if they're like Baron and Fabia, which I highly doubt to be." "That was a different approach. Baron and Fabia met through introductions. So, it may be different, but they could still have the same connection." "They already have a connection. In fact, all eight children share the same connection. But they don't know about it yet." "That connection is through their hearts. It's only when all eight of them are together." "Enough. We're getting off track. How is everything proceeding with the stones?" "The stones are purifying nicely, but it's still a very long process." "It would go faster if we had the eight children with us." "But nonetheless, they'll be ready when they appear." "Why is it taking forever for the eight children to come together?" "You already know the answer to that. It's a different process itself to transport each of them without any of them knowing it." "But even so, May did figure out she was the only one transported through the Cyclone Vortex." "Give me a break, she's not my descendant and I was the one who transported her. Also, I'm lucky I was able to conjure up the Cyclone Vortex when you all know my specialty is the Whirlpool Vortex." "Yes, but there was no water around her area, and you had more power than any of us at that time." "Anyway, she's starting to wake up now." "Then let's continue watching over them."

All: "Right."


	7. Chapter 7: Just a Bad Dream

Chapter 7: Just a Bad Dream – (May's P.O.V.)

'Ugh, what happened?' I thought to myself. All I remember was getting sucked into a tornado and passing out after colliding with something. I woke up to find myself in an odd place. It looked like a rickety old building with a few leaks and some paint coming off. I was lying on a couch near a fireplace. I heard some drops outside and saw that it was raining. I got up and stepped on something way too soft to be a carpet.

"Oww!" A voice yelled. I jumped back in freight as a figure stood up and dusted itself off. "Oh, you're awake now." It said as it looked at me. I saw what it was and was terrified. "Aah! A talking Zigzagoon!" I screamed. The thing covered its ears and opened them back up. "A talking zig-zag what?" It asked. "What's all the screaming about?" Another voice said as two more things came out of separate rooms.

"Great! There's a talking Squirtle, too?!" I asked rather loud. "A what?" The first thing said. "Is there something wrong with her, Sly?" The third thing asked. "And on top of that, there's a talking Miltank, as well." I said. They all looked at me with confused looks. "Ok, maybe you just take a deep breath and count to ten." The Squirtle decided. "… Yeah… maybe I should just"- I said before I fell back. "Whoa." The Zigzagoon exclaimed as it caught me before I collided with the floor. My eyes shot open when its face was near inches from my own. Before I could move, I accidentally bumped the couch. My eyes shot wide open as much as his, apparently it was a he, could as well. Our lips met each other's.

My heart leapt and my cheeks felt warm as we stayed in our positions with shock running through our veins. He was blushing as well. Before I knew it, I pushed him away stumbling to the floor. I made contact with the floor, too. "I can't believe it! My first kiss was stolen by a Pokémon!" I exclaimed. They looked, again, at me with confusion. "A… poe… key… mon?" The Miltank stuttered. "What in the world is that?" The Squirtle asked. "You three are Pokemon, aren't you?" I asked. "No. We don't even know what a… Pokemon is." The Zigzagoon stated. I was confused. If they're not Pokemon, just what are they? "Then what are you?" I decided to ask. "Well, for starters, I'm a turtle and my name is Bentley. This is Murray, and he's a hippopotamus." The Squirtle said. Ok, so the Squirtle is called Bentley and the Miltank is called Murray. So that just leaves the one in front of me. I waited for him to answer, but nothing came out of his mouth.

He was nudged in the arm by the one called Murray. "Oh. Well, I'm a raccoon. My name's Sly, Sly Cooper." He said. I walked up to him and extended my arm out in front. "Well, it's nice to meet you all. My name is May." I smiled. The one called Sly gazed at my hand and then smiled as he extended his arm. We managed to shake hands without feeling awkward. And then, something happened.

For some reason, our hands started glowing. We looked at each other and back at our hands. We released our hands, and just like that, the glow was gone. That was really odd. "Well, that was odd." Bentley said. "Did you two eat something funny?" Murray asked. We stood there in silence as a few seconds passed. "Let's try it again." Sly asked as the silence was broken. "Try what?" I asked him. "That glow suddenly appeared when we joined hands and disappeared when we released. I wanna see if that happens again." He stated. So, we tried again. Our hands joined together. We waited for something to happen, but nothing sparked to life. We released each other's hand. "Maybe it was just a trick of the light." Bentley suggested. That's when I realized the sun was rising. I was still bewildered by that moment. But, I guess that topic should be left alone. I still need to find out where I am. "Ok, setting aside what just happened a few minutes ago, where am I anyway?" I asked. They looked at me and then each other. "You're in Paris. The beautiful city of lights." Murray exclaimed. "Paris?... I can't believe I'm in Paris!... What's Paris?" I said. When I said that, their jaws dropped to the floor. Not literally to the floor.

"You've never heard of Paris?" Sly asked. "Nope. Can't say that I have." I replied. "Well, just like Murray said, it's called the city of lights. It's a city in France." "Is France the name of the region? I've never heard of the France Region." "Ok, first of all, it's not a region. Second of all, it's a country. And third of all, save all questions for last." "Ok. Sorry." "Good." "How long has it been raining?" "Ugh, this is gonna be a very long day." Sly sighed. He was right though. It was going to be a very long day. A very long day of explaining why I was here and what was going on. And how I can get back home. Because I don't think I'm Sinnoh or Hoenn anymore.


	8. Chapter 8: Explanations and Situations

Chapter 8: Explanations and Situations – (May's P.O.V.)

For the past five hours, I've had to listen to my newfound friends explain everything that they do in this city. So far, this is what I understand at most.

These three formed a group called the Cooper gang. They specialized in thievery. At first, I was frightened, but I've dealt with bounty hunters who were trying to make an honest living. Apparently, Sly came from a very long line of thieves. Thieving was the Cooper family business. When we got to the point to his parents, Sly skipped that and moved on. I'll ask him about it later. According to Bentley, all three of them grew up in the same orphanage. Guess that's how they were really great friends. Ok, with their rash of robberies, someone must be after them. They explained that a police organization called Interpol assigned a few people to the case of capturing the Cooper gang. But, there was a certain Inspector, as Murray put it, that caught Sly's attention and his love. But, again, Sly skipped anymore of that topic and said that it wasn't important. Something was on his mind. After explanations were done, they asked me if I explain where I came from. I already told them about Pokemon. Creatures, on my world, that have various abilities and powers. The people who train with them are called Pokemon Trainers. Trainers use Pokemon in battles where one trainer fights another. I didn't know what else to tell them. That's when I remembered my Pokedex.

I pulled it out of my back pocket and presented it to them. Bentley took it with one of his mechanical arms from the wheelchair. Bentley and Murray were amazed by the device and what each of the Pokemon, I recorded, look like. I showed them the three Pokemon I mistook them to be at first. They each had a bewildered expression of their own. After a few minutes of looking at the Pokedex, Sly looked in my direction and smiled. I had no choice but to smile back. And just like that, he walked away and headed to the second floor of their "hideout." I watched him go and became confused to what I saw before he vanished.

"I have a question." I told Bentley and Murray. They stopped their investigation on my Pokedex and looked at me. "What color are Sly's eyes?" I asked. They looked at me in shock. "They're naturally brown. Why?" Bentley said. Murray, and I saw it. His eyes were brown, but they slowly changed blue in a clockwise rotation. "Because they are blue, right now." I told him. He looked in a mirror and sighed. "Is this natural for him?" I asked. Bentley and Murray simply nodded no. I looked back at Sly as he turned around. As soon as he looked at me, he gasped and stumbled back. "What?" I asked. "A-Are y-your eyes n-naturally… green?!" He stuttered. 'Green?!' I ran past him and looked in the mirror myself. His words spoke true. My eyes were now solid green instead of the natural blue they always were. It's like someone took the color out of Sly's and my eyes and replaced them with a different color.

I looked back at him and our eyes met. Both worried expression melted into calmness as we stared blankly at each other. After a few seconds, Sly closed his eyes and shook his head, snapping himself out of our trance. I did the same thing and returned to reality. "Ok, first we had to deal with Sly's eyes changing colors and now May's are doing the same thing. Just what is going on here?!" Bentley shouted out. I looked at Sly again, only to see him putting his hand on his hip and the other scratching the back of his head. His eyes were still blue. I was worried about the same thing. I had my hand grabbing my other arm as I looked at my feet. I didn't know it, but Sly was looking at me.

Sly walked up to me, and I lifted my head. His face was very close to mine. Just like before that accidental kiss. I thought he was going to kiss me again, but he embraced me instead. I was surprised at first, but let myself sink into the hug. He was good three inches taller than me, but it was enough. I rested my head on his shoulder and let out a few tears. One, for getting myself into this mess. And two, because I was starting to become a little homesick.

Bentley and Murray just watched us in sympathy. I even heard Sly mutter and whisper something in my ear. They were words that were going to be in my head for as long as I will remember. "Welcome, to my world."


	9. Chapter 9: A Girl's Touch

Chapter 9: A Girl's Touch – (Sly's P.O.V.)

"Ok. We only have twelve hours to show you around town. But first, we need disguises." I said, strolling to a wardrobe in the corner. "Disguises? For what?" May asked. "It's because we're well known as criminals. And if we go out in daylight, looking like what we are right now, we're sure to be caught in a matter of moments." Bentley stated. I was looking for a good disguise for her when I forgot something. "By the way, this may seem out of the blues, how old are you, May?" I asked her. If she was going out in a disguise, I needed her age. The rest I could work out in my head.

"Oh, well. I just turned sixteen nine months ago." She replied. Holy mackerel. She was the same age as me?! I thought she would be, at least, a year younger than me. Oh well. I grabbed a complete outfit and tossed it to her. "There. That'll be your disguise." I stated. She looked at it with sheer curiosity. It was a black tank top with pink line patterns zig-zagging its way to the left shoulder. Pink and black leggings with a skirt that reached the thighs. A wig with the two same colors on each side. Earrings that represented a guitar and a star. And two black high-heeled boots that extended to her shins.

"What. In the world. Is this?" She asked. 'It's one of the few female outfits that we keep. That there is what I call a Rockstar Diva." I said as I played an air guitar. She raised an eyebrow at me and gave her reply. "What I think, is that you should let me pick out my own outfit. I'm not really that big a fan of pink or clothes that reveal a lot." She stated. I gritted my teeth and smiled awkwardly while rubbing the back of my head. "Oh, sorry about that, then." I apologized. "It's fine. Let's see what you have." She said as she passed me and looked in the wardrobe for herself. "I think I can make this work." She said after two minutes of looking at all of our outfits. "Make what work?" I asked as I walked towards her. May rushed passed me again and went into one of the rooms. "Sorry, no peeking allowed." She smiled as she closed the door. That was weird. I didn't even see what she was carrying. "But. That's my room." Murray said after getting over his sudden shock of the realization. I chuckled to myself. I didn't even realize that I got my heart broken recently. And yet, May was the first to ever get me smiling again.

(Later On)

After at least an hour and a half passed by, she opened the door I was asleep, Murray was chomping down on snacks, and Bentley was working with his laptop. "Well? What do you think?" She asked as I opened my eyes. I was not expecting what I had seen. She looked… like me. Well, a feminine version of me.

She was wearing one of my blue shirts, a yellow belt, blue gloves, blue boots, and my signature blue cap. She also had a blue skirt on, that reached her thighs, for reasons too well known. Apparently, she was wearing a fur suit under all the clothing because I saw a raccoon tail protruding from the back. But it looked so realistic. My eyes widened at the sight. "Whoa." I said. I was speechless. And my friends were as well. I also saw black hair coming out the back.

"How did you…" I began but lost words again. "I used the material from one of the fur coats to make the suit. And, while you were snoozing, I went up to your room and borrowed some of your clothing. I added the skirt, from one of the outfits, for reasons too well known." She explained. Again, I was left speechless. "Actually, I got inspired by a certain someone who's a great friend of mine. Even if he is a thief for the rest of his life." May added. I smiled softly. It's like I've been shot with Cupid's Arrow, because the more I see of May and her talents, the more I fall in love with her. "Well, I'm glad I became an inspiration. And, if you'll excuse me, I need to go change so we can get going." I said. I went upstairs, but a part of me really wanted to stay with her.

I closed the door behind me, and after the usual click, I smiled widely. I nearly sunk to the floor from all the happiness I was experiencing. I've never ever felt like this before. Not even when I had Carmelita chasing me. Carmelita. The mentioning of her brought me down from the clouds. I put a small sad feature across my face. Her name alone tugged at my heart strings. But, there was something else. I usually break down crying after all the bad memories flooding through my head. But, not this time. My heart was telling me to forget about her and move on. It was telling me this, because there was someone else that I could learn to love. My smile came back. It looked like a sad smile, but it was enough. Because I could learn to love again… with May.

(Somewhere else)

His heart… he has finally opened his heart. May their love be eternal as the Sky and the Ocean.


	10. Chapter 10: My First Tour of Love & Pain

Chapter 10: My Tour of Love and Pain – (May's P.O.V.)

We left the hideout twelve minutes after Sly was ready. Bentley and Murray didn't tag along since they were still trying to discover where I came from. Apparently, it's hard to find a planet in space when you've never actually heard of it before. It became a challenge, but we wished them good luck.

Sly took me to many places that I had never seen before. They all looked fantastic. There were restaurants, museums, landmarks, lots of people, and music everywhere. I had so many questions to ask, and Sly was happy to answer them all. Something about him changed.

Sure, I just met Sly and his friends a few hours ago, but his mood was rapidly changing a lot. I wondered what was going on in his mind, but since he was showing me Paris, I decided to let him be his way… for the time being.

He showed me one of the most famous landmarks that "decorated" all of Paris. Apparently, it was called the Eiffel Tower. It was huge. I had to squint just to see the top. Sly told me many historical facts about the tower. Some of which I couldn't even follow. He saw my confusion and decided to simplify it into a smaller version. All I could understand was that… it was big. He gave up with a sigh and we walked away from the tower.

I kept feeling a bit queasy. A few people kept stopping to look at us, as if we were strange or new in the city. Sly kept assuring me that everything was alright. But, his words were lost to the wind.

Sly stared ahead at a local café. I looked in his direction and saw what he was looking at. There were two people sitting at a table near the café. One was an orange fox with blue hair. The other one was another raccoon? He looked like Sly, but their eyes were different and so were their hair styles. They looked like they were having a great time. Laughing, talking, holding hands, and staring deep into each other's eyes. This was a romantic scene. I looked back at Sly and saw something unexpected.

Sly kept staring at the couple. His eyes were filled with water and his were balled up into fists. He looked like he was furious at the sight before him. That's when I realized it.

(Flashback)

"Interpol has been after us for years. But, there's only one Inspector that caught Sly's attention. Her name's Carmelita Fox, and just like her name, she's a fox." Bentley said.

(Reality)

So, that must've been Carmelita. She looked nice. I can even see why Sly fell for her. But now, he got his heart broken. And, it was because of her. I didn't know what to do. My mind was telling me to give her a piece of my fury. But, my heart was telling me not to interfere. So, like ever since, I decided to follow my heart.

I grabbed Sly's shoulder and he looked at me. I gestured for him to follow me. He looked back at the café and sighed. Grabbing his arm, I lead him away from the happy looking (heart wrenching) couple and to somewhere private. Even though I was new to this city, I knew enough to find a good place to talk. I looked back at him to see that he had a complete straight face. At moment, my stomach growled. I groaned at the timing. Sly just chuckled until his stomach followed suit. It was my turn to laugh aw he went red with embarrassment. Today was just full of surprises.

Sly noticed a shop right next to us. I looked in the same direction and we went inside. It took us six minutes to be in and out of that place with a basket full of…croissants? Didn't know what they were, but I trusted Sly. I'm wondering, though, if he paid for these or not.

(Later On)

"This was a wonderful tour, Sly. I can't stop smiling." I said. We were next to a fountain that was close to the Eiffel Tower. "I'm glad you liked it. I rarely show this place to anyone." He replied. He was talking about this "perfect spot" to gaze at both the sunset and the full moon that was happening tonight. "Exactly, how many people have you shown this too?" I asked. He paused right before taking a bite out of a croissant. That reaction told me all I needed to know. He lowered his hand and looked down, a sad expression on his face. I think now was a good time.

"Sly?" I said. He looked much zoned out. I placed my hand on his shoulder and he slowly looked at me. "You need to tell someone. If you don't, it'll keep gnawing away at you." I told him. He looked down, to the side, and then back at me before sighing. Sly grabbed my hand with his and placed his other hand over mine while leaving them on his lap. "It's…. not that long… but…it's like… describing… a –"he trailed off. Apparently, just thinking about it, brought him almost to tears. "Describing what?" I asked. He took a moment to answer. And it came out. "Describing… a black heart."


	11. Chapter 11: Look Into the Past (Part 1)

Chapter 11: Look Into the Past (Part 1) – (Sly's P.O.V.)

(Three months ago)

I jumped over rooftops, one by one, as I made my getaway after pulling off a heist successfully. Blasts of electricity raced past me as I dodged them. And a soothing voice, soft as a cloud. "I'll get you this time, Cooper!" Carmelita shouted. 'Ok, I need to get myself out of the clouds and back to reality.' I thought to myself. I smiled to that and continued running. She's not gonna give up, and that's how I like it.

I stopped at the edge of a roof, which was a bit too far to jump on the next roof. Her pistol was aimed at me from a distance of, I'd say, 12 meters. How cliché could this moment get? I turned back to look at how high the building was. Not low enough for me to land gracefully.

"Well, Cooper. I see you don't have the guts to jump from this height." She smirked. I looked back at her, and smiled my devious smile. "You should know me by now that I'd do anything for you, my beautiful vixen. Even jumping off a building would be a way to please you." I said to her. She gave a growl and glared at me. "Enough with the games, raccoon. Now return the artifact that you stole and turn yourself in." she declared. "Sorry. I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that." I said. I back-flipped off the building, right into the passenger seat of the Cooper van. Once I was secure, Murray "punched" it and we drove off into the night. Although we made it out of that mess, I can't help remembering the last few words that Carmelita shouted at me. Those last few words seriously made my heart stop. "I HATE YOU, COOPER! I'LL FIND YOU AND THROW YOUR BLACK HEART IN JAIL!" I couldn't help but wince and shake fearfully. Did I really have a black heart?

(Two weeks later)

I smiled to myself as we pulled off four heists in one night. It may not be our record, but it was great work. There was one thing, though, that was missing. My lovely Inspector was nowhere to be seen tonight. 'Maybe she had desk work again.' It wasn't the first time that happened and the reason was always me. I should stop by and see how she's doing.

After we drove back to the safehouse, I snuck out and headed to the offices of Interpol. Once I got to the building, I climbed up to the third floor and scaled to the fourth window on the right. I peeked inside and saw that my theory rang true. Carmelita sat at her desk, not knowing that I was spying on her. I was about to knock on the window, but someone was opening the door. I barely made it behind the wall before anybody could see me. I looked through the glass to see Carmelita talking with… another raccoon?

I raised an eyebrow at the sight before me. She was discussing something about a case at first, and then it all changed. That other raccoon started snaking his hand into hers and gripped it lightly. I growled as he pulled her out of the chair and embraced. Then they did something that I would never expect. He kissed her straight on the lips. The thing that shocked me the most was the fact that she didn't pull away. Carmelita was enjoying it as much as he was.

Turning away from the scene, I looked down at my boots. My teeth were shaking as a tear escaped my eye. I couldn't believe the sight that the one I love fell for another man. I had to get away from this place. With a heavy heart, I scaled the walls and up to the roof. I jumped from the roof, onto a wire, and ran all the way back to the safehouse.

As soon as I got back to the safehouse, I noticed a few more shadows inside. From looking inside the window, it appeared that Dimitri and Penelope decided to visit. I didn't feel like talking right now. I just wanted to be alone. So I went somewhere else. Not many people were out at this time. I made my way towards a park and started walking. Walking along the path gave me a chance to think things through. I still couldn't believe that she would do this. It was crazy. I just wanted to forget what I saw, but my mind kept playing it over and over. To me, it felt like someone had died and I was trying to process it. I shouldn't make a big deal about it, but it felt too painful just to let it slide. After a few minutes of walking, my feet were getting tired. Thankfully, there was a bench nearby. I sat down and started rubbing away the soreness that my feet collected. I found myself staring at my boots again until I sighed, now rubbing the tiredness in my eyes. I leaned back in the bench and gripped my chest. I didn't realize, until now, that my heart was pounding. I didn't know if it was through anger or sadness that made the pounding. But I knew one thing, I wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. And my heart was now starting to swirl with different emotions. This night turned from amazing to heart breaking. And I was in the center of it.


	12. Chapter 12: Look Into the Past (Part 2)

Chapter 12: Look Into the Past (Part 2) – (Sly's P.O.V.)

The next morning wasn't really pleasant whatsoever. The sky was covered by grey clouds and the ground had a bit of a fog touching everything it surrounded. I was still seated on the bench in the park. I didn't get any sleep at all last night. My head was in my hands that rested on my legs. My boots were making little circles unconsciously. And I stared blankly at the cement in front of me. All I was doing was trying to prevent my memories from flooding my head. Although, I failed miserably. My mind was re-living all the memories that I stored inside involving Carmelita. I had so many that I could write a book on my romantic life with her. I just couldn't understand.

Did I do something wrong? Why would she see someone else? Was I wrong to fall in love with her? Should I ask about that man? Would she even tell me anything? So many questions came racing through that I didn't have time to think about any of them. I returned to reality, remembering that it was daytime and I was wearing my usual attire. Someone would recognize me as the "notorious" thief, Sly Cooper. But, I didn't even feel "notorious" at this time. I didn't even feel like my usual self. And I could care less if someone saw me. Besides, it was foggy after all. Although I was battling with my mind, it kept on telling me to go back to the safehouse. But my body wouldn't cooperate. I kept feeling the usual tug at the strings inside me. My mind was close to convincing me that I had been betrayed by the woman I loved. I couldn't even hear what my heart was telling me. But, reluctantly, I got off the bench and started walking back to the safehouse. I had to turn around, though, since I almost forgot to grab my cane. It didn't even feel like it was with me the whole night. So, with that said, I walked out of the park and up the street, back to our temporary home.

A couple minutes later found myself in front of the safehouse. I was about to grab the knob until the door opened by itself. I wasn't even surprised from the door. In the entrance stood Murray, looking down at me. "Geez Sly. Where you been this whole time?" he asked. I walked past him with my shoulders slumped and my cane dragging on the floor. "Sly?" another voice asked. I shifted my gaze to look at three pairs of eyes settled upon me. Bentley, Penelope, and Dimitri all looked at me with worry. I didn't even react when Murray placed his hand on my shoulder. I continued my little walk as I showed little to no emotion up the stairs. I didn't see, but I could feel their eyes looking at me. I didn't pay them any mind. As I reached my room, I opened the door, entered, and closed it behind me. I stood there, expecting to be interrupted from my silence by my friends. But, I guess they got the hint of me wanting to be alone. I slowly slid to the floor and sat there for a while. My eyes started becoming wet and I knew I had to let it out sooner or later. I closed my eyes and silently sobbed to myself. My body acted on its own as it curled up into a ball. I never thought I could feel like this. The only other time that I ever felt like this was when the Fiendish Five invaded my family's home and killed my parents. But this time, the pain was too much to bear. I never thought that betrayal could ever feel like this in so many ways.

Every time I gasped for relief, my heart felt the pain come back into my body. It just hurts so much. No wonder people committed suicide after a heart break. It gave me a thought though. A thought that I quickly banished from my mind. Just because I had my heart broken, without anyone knowing, didn't mean I should just end my life with the snap of a finger. This was going to be a hard decision for me to make, considering that life and death were the two main options going on in my mind right now. I lifted my head, long enough to see how much of my clothes and fur I had just soaked with choked tears. I didn't know what else to feel at the moment. Then I remembered something that was always laying on a worn-out nightstand.

I looked up to see that the object in mind was standing there, looking at nothing in particular. I stood up, walked over to it, and stared straight at it. That picture was a memento in my mind. After about eight minutes of staring blankly at the picture, I reached my hand towards it, and placed it face down on the hard wood. I didn't need to be reminded of this, right now. After all, it was a memento now. A Memento of Misery.


	13. Chapter 13: Memento of Change

Chapter 13: Mementos of Misery and Change – (Sly's P.O.V.)

I sighed. The story, in my opinion, should have been longer to tell, but I didn't feel like going into anymore detail. When I finished, there was a little bit of pain I felt. But, on the other hand, May was right. It felt nice to have that off my shoulders. I looked over to her, only to give her a sad smile.

She looked at me with tears in her eyes. Her jaw was shaking, and she held her hands to her heart. "Does she know you found out?" she asked. I let out another sigh and look over to a tree. "Yeah… she does." I replied. May wiped her tears away and got up. She started to walk in a random direction. I quickly stood up and rushed over to grab her hand. "Where are you going?" I asked. She looked at me with a serious expression across her face. "To teach that witch a lesson!" she said. I looked at her with a shocked expression. "May… that's a crazy thing to do." "And, why is that?" "Because, first of all, you don't know her like I do. And, second of all, you'll get hurt." "You don't think I can take her?" "I didn't say that. I'm just saying that it's crazy to get into a fist fight with Carmelita." "Well, it would be worth trying since she broke your heart." "A broken heart can be mended." I stated. She didn't say anything. "I know… in my mind that she deserves everything that you might have to 'offer' her. But, I learned one thing. And that it's not right to seek revenge. Unless they kill a member of your family, then that's a completely different story." I told her while gripping her arms a bit firmly. May looked at me in bewilderment. For a few seconds, I thought she was gonna give me another "acclaimed" reason. But, instead, she moved forward slowly, and hugged me. I just stood like a statue and watched May. It actually felt nice to be hugged by her. I guess I just needed a hug after all that has happened.

"You know… I agree with Bentley. If she was blind, not to see how kind you really were on the inside, then she truly doesn't deserve you now." She told me. I widened my eyes a little. When did Bentley tell her that? I must've not noticed when he told her. Setting the thought aside, I gently hugged her back. I truly was thankful to have someone with me at this moment. I didn't realize it, but I could feel people's eyes staring at us. Although I felt a bit angry from the tingling of disturbance, I wasn't about to let it ruin this moment of tranquility. After about three minutes had passed, I slowly pulled away from our embrace, smiling in the process.

"Thanks, I really needed that." I told her. She smiled back at me. "Anytime. Anything for a friend." She replied. I couldn't be anymore happy. She was so sincere. Suddenly, a beam of light illuminated around us. May and I looked up, only to see a group of clouds encircling a beautiful full moon. Talk about rare occasions when you're with someone who happens to be very close to you now. "It's so beautiful." She said. I looked at her, and saw that her eyes were completely green once again. "Yes, you are." I replied. She looked at me, and gasped softly. "Your eyes are like emeralds. I want to steal them." I continued, jokingly. She widened her eyes a bit, but then giggled after realizing what I meant. "Even though I'd never steal, your eyes are like sapphires. They gleam perfectly in the moonlight." She said. I smiled again, and it only got bigger with every passing minute. After another good two minutes of staring into each other's eyes, May let out a small yawn. I sighed, realizing what time it was. "We should head back to the safehouse. It's getting pretty late. I didn't even know telling that story would eat up a lot of our time." I told her. Her only response was a nod of the head. She looked like she was about to fall asleep right then and there. So we headed back, peacefully, to the safehouse.

(?'s P.O.V.)

"Love… it's always love. You know what I think about love? It makes me… sick!" "Calm down. It's not like we can do anything about it now." "No. But if we could just send a few-" "No! We are not allowed to interfere with the Eight Children. It is our leader's orders!" "Oh? And where exactly is our noble leader at the moment?" "He is dealing with a few forces that seek to invade us. His sister is also dealing with them." "Right now. We just look over these two." "I know. But I must say. All this waiting is what I hate the most." "We all despise it."


	14. Chapter 14: Unexpected Situation

Chapter 14: Unexpected Situation – (May's P.O.V.)

Tonight was a marvelous night. I got to see Paris, hear a story, dress up in a costume that I'm still wearing, and be there for someone who was having a love crisis. There's so much I found out today. Although it's not like the journey with my friends through the Hoenn and Kanto Regions. But, ending up in another world is what "takes the cake."

Me and Sly were walking up a street, back to the safehouse. Everything was peaceful at this moment. A few minutes had passed in this silent journey, so I decided to start up a conversation. "Hey, Sly?" I said. He looked at me in curiosity. "Do you think you could ever learn to love again?" I asked him. He twisted his face a bit in deep thought. A second later was when I got a reply. "I don't think so. Why do you ask?" I looked down at the ground. "It's because… I was thinking that… maybe someone can help you with what you're dealing with right now." I stated. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and grinned. "Are you proposing something?" he asked, chuckling to himself. My head shot up and I looked straight ahead, pretending my ears didn't hear that. Gloating a bit, Sly even crossed his arms and walked backwards, still grinning to himself. I could feel my face going red. "I'm just messing with you, May. But, I do appreciate your help. Like I said, it's been three months since I've felt like this." He said. I looked over at him. I stuck my face two inches close to his. "Well, don't get used to it. Because you never know when something like this might happen." I told him. Sly stumbled a bit from the lack of balance, but managed to keep himself standing. I laughed at his antics. He joined in the laughter for a few seconds and then we died down after. I looked down and saw something glowing. "Hey, what's that?" I asked. He looked at it and became confused as well. We got closer. "It looks like a rock." He stated. This "rock" was glowing like a flashlight and it was really weird. After a few seconds, Sly decided to touch it. When he did, it got brighter and brighter. It was so bright now that we were forced to cover our eyes.

"May… May? ... Come on, May. Wake up." A voice said. I opened my eyes to see a blurred image of someone familiar. "Ash?" I asked. The figure helped me up. "Who's Ash?" the voice asked. I blinked in confusion. The figure changed physically and I saw clearly again. "Oh, Sly. It's you." I said. He smiled in sympathy. "Well, of course. Who else did you expect to be with you when we saw that light?" he asked. I was about to answer until I realized where we were. "Where are we?" "I haven't got a clue. I woke up a few seconds before you and I saw this place." The place we were in was white everywhere with no ending to any of it. Before I moved a step, Sly rushed in front of me and spread his arms out as if to shield me. He was turning his head in many directions. "What's wrong?" I asked him. "I hear something." He said, without looking at me. I cupped my hands behind my ears. I didn't hear anything. I was gonna ask something, but then I heard something. It sounded like… voices.

"Where did Lord Cromwell and Lady Korma go?" "They couldn't just have vanished into thin air." "They were on our radar and now they're gone." "You know, this happened with Lord Rhiner and Lady Takara." "Then that means they're in the Chamber of Vanishing." A few voices sound panicked. Maybe they were talking about us. Maybe we just accidentally overheard a conversation about someone else. But wait, did they say what I think they just said? My eyes widened in realization. "There's that name again!" We said in unison. I looked at Sly and he looked at me. Before we could say anything, something was flying right at us. It was darkening this whole space the closer it got. "Watch out!" Sly shouted. He lunged at me and we both fell through an object in that space. Before we knew it, we were back on the street where that rock was.

"Are you okay, Sly?" I asked. His head was laying on my lap after that lunge. He raised himself and looked me in the eyes. "I should be asking you that question." He said. We both stood up after that question and looked at out surroundings. We were back all right. Suddenly, I felt a vibration coming from behind. I looked back and saw something else coming towards us. "Look out!" I shouted. Sly saw what it was and pushed me out of the way before back-stepping away from that object. We looked up to see two figures on a building, pointing pistols at us. They looked very familiar. I looked back at Sly to see that he reacted like he saw a ghost. And then two words came out of one of their mouths. "Freeze, Cooper!"


	15. Chapter 15: The Escape

Chapter 15: The Escape – (May's P.O.V.)

I ran back to Sly's side. I grabbed his arm and realized that he was shaking. He kept his eyes locked on the two figures on the building.

"Well, well. Look what we find on the streets tonight, Carmelita." One of the figures said. Apparently, the two figures were Carmelita and her "new" boyfriend. "I know. One of them happens to be a raccoon of many words, while his friend is a mystery." She said. Upon hearing that, my eyes narrowed in anger. "I won't be much of a mystery when I introduce my fists to your face." I shouted. Sly looked at me in surprise when he heard what I said. "Well, it looks like she wants to play physically. Come on, let's see what you've got, girly." Carmelita taunted. Before I could move, Sly extended his hand in front of me. He had a smile on his face.

"Wow. What a comeback, Carmelita. I'm surprised with how 'dull' your insults can be. But, then again, you always were terrible with retorts." He looked at his hand when he said that. He gave me a wink after he saw my expression. I smiled, seeing that he was now officially through with her. "No one talks to my woman like that." The man said. "Well then, you better look again. Because all I see is a filthy blue-haired witch who loves to break hearts and is black-hearted herself!" I shouted. That set them both on edge. Carmelita growled at me, but I didn't care. She deserved every word that was spat at her. "Alright, Bryan. I think it's time to put these two right where they belong." She said through gritted teeth. Looks like her boyfriend's name was Bryan. Sly grabbed my arm and held a little ball in his other. "I think it's time that we made our exit." He told me. I nodded. Before they could shoot, Sly threw the ball at the floor and a bunch of smoke covered us. He started pulling on my hand and we ran into an alley.

This alley, in particular, was full of twists and turns. But, it looked like Sly knew where to go. So, I didn't doubt him. We made many lefts and rights until we came up at a dead end. We looked up at how high the wall was and it lead right to the rooftops. He looked at me. "Time to climb." He started climbing a pipe and jumped from wall to wall. Before I knew it, he made it to the top in about eight seconds. Sly looked back down at me and sighed, realizing he didn't know I couldn't climb all the pipes and bricks that made up these walls. He fiddled with his belt buckle until it popped out with a cord attached to it. He lowered the cord to the ground and gestured for me to grab it. I did as he said and held on tightly as I was pulled up while he braced himself near the edge. Sly grabbed my arms and pulled me over the edge and onto solid floor. His belt buckle snapped back into place and he was panting a bit. "Handy device you have there." I said. He straightened up. "Bentley gave it to me four days ago." He told me. As soon as he caught his breath, we continued our escape. The running across rooftops was a bit difficult. Even though Sly didn't have his cane with him, he made it look so easy. As far as we came, we stopped at the edge of a rooftop. It was too far to jump to the next one. And we were too high up to fall gracefully to the floor.

"What do we do now?" I asked Sly. All he did was shrug. "How about putting your hands up and surrendering?" someone asked sarcastically. We whipped around to see Carmelita and Bryan pointing their pistols towards us. Sly was growling under his breath. I didn't know what was causing him to do that. Then I remembered. We were in the cliché moment that happened three months ago. "So, what's it gonna be?" Bryan asked. Neither of us answered. Then I realized that I was still wearing a disguise. They didn't know I was a human. I sighed and prepared to take off the head of the suit. Sly saw what I was going to do and shot his hand across mine to stop me.

I gave him an "It's Ok" kind of look. He stared at me in a bit of shock, but proceeded to remove his hand. As soon as he removed his hand, Carmelita shot a blast of electricity near our feet. We flinched a bit from the sparks and looked at them. "I believe my partner asked you two a question and you have not given us a reply. You better surrender." Carmelita said. Sly glared at her. "Even if we surrendered, would you send us to prison… or kill us right on the spot?" he asked, a bit menacingly. They looked a bit bewildered from the last thing he said. It shouldn't be much of a shock to her, considering what she tried to do last night. "I don't think you'd send us to prison. I believe you would kill us right here." I said. I yanked off the head of my disguise. They gasped in shock and took a step back. Both of them, in fright, said in unison. "You're a human!"


	16. Chapter 16: Don't Believe What You See

Chapter 16: Don't Believe What You See – (Sly's P.O.V.)

We needed to get out of here. Things went too far when May took off her disguise. Sure, it may have been a bit of a last resort. But, now Carmelita and her boyfriend/partner knew that was a human. They can report back to their superiors about the sightings of a human. After all, May was the first ever human to be seen in our world. And that's a bit of a bad thing.

I activated a homing beacon on my belt buckle. I just hope Bentley got the alarm. I looked over at May to see that she was standing like a statue, glaring at the two Interpol officers. "H-human…humans don't…humans don't exist!" Bryan shouted. He fired a blast directly towards May. Luckily, I was fast. I grabbed and pulled her arm to get her out of range, as soon as the blast went flying past us. I got in front of her, using my arms as a shield. I snarled at them. "Don't…touch…her!" I growled at them, practically. I wasn't about to let them hurt May. She meant too much to me ever since I learned a lot about her. But, something was going on with me.

It was as if I released a beast from within me. My anger felt like it was getting out of control. May noticed this and asked if I was okay. I practically shouted my response. "I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT MAY!" Along with my outburst, a clap of thunder was heard above us. We all looked up to see very, very, VERY dark grey, practically black, clouds form out of nowhere across the moonlit sky. My eyes were burning with rage as I actually felt them change into the blue sapphire ones that May described. I glared back at Carmelita and Bryan while the clouds kept spreading.

May watched me in fear as she saw my rage-filled eyes. I noticed this through my periphery. I was actually scaring her. Then I remembered something. When someone is filled with enough rage and hatred, they can lose control of their actions. Just like how the clouds in the sky look nearly black.

I tried to calm down and get rid of my anger, but nothing was working. My mind kept telling me a million times to relax or keep calm, but my heart was too deep in a fit of fury. Then I tried thinking of things that usually suppress my anger. When I thought of my friends, it did the trick. My fury was slowly dying down, but it was working. I relaxed and May was gripping my arms softly from behind. The clouds were also diminishing while the moonlight returned to light up Paris. We could even hear some people, outside and through open windows, talking amongst themselves. But my emotions changed again.

As soon as the clouds cleared up, I heard a blast being fired from one of the pistols. Carmelita shot a blast directly at my chest. "Sly! Look out!" May shouted. Before I could move, she made her way around me and took the hit. She screamed in pain and fell to the floor. I looked at her eyes as they slowly closed. I followed her to the ground and saw she was unconscious. But that's not what my mind processed. "May? May?!" I shook her a few times, but she only moved with my movements. I felt alone at that moment.

My body was shaking. But it wasn't fear. It was rage. Someone…tonight…was definitely…going to…DIE!


	17. Chapter 17: Blue Pupils and a Radiance

Chapter 17: Blue Pupils and a Radiance – (May's P.O.V.)

I don't know where I am. It feels empty here. There was black everywhere I turned. I remember getting in front of Sly and dealing with a sharp pain that I felt lingering in my back as a dull sensation. I felt so alone with no one else around.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" I asked. My answer just echoed throughout space. A sudden breeze started blowing around. I grabbed my arms from feeling shivers. The wind actually started becoming visible due to the green glow it highlighted. It formed into a spiral that looked like stars in a night sky. As fast as they came, the green turned pink and the wind dissolved into nothingness. The pink color began forming a shape about my height and took the shape of a person. It also dissolved and left the person there, standing four feet away from me.

The person was a girl with dark brown hair to her shoulders, blue eyes, and a pale peach kind of color was her skin. She was wearing a pink dress, not the poofy ones, that reached her knees, and brown boots that went to her shins. I straightened up and just looked at her while she looked at me.

"Who are you?" I asked. She didn't answer, so I decided to be the polite one. "I'm May." I continued. Next thing she did was smile. "I know who you are." The girl said. At least she can talk. I was going to ask for her name, but she raised her hand in front and stopped me from talking. "Before you ask, I'm here to clear up something. And, my name is Kari." She told me. Well, at least I now know her name. "Ok. It's nice to meet you, Kari. But, you said you had something to 'clear up.'" I stated. She smiled again. "Yes. Your meeting of Sly was no mere mistake." I was surprised. "Sly? Where is Sly? Is he alright?" I asked. I was worried about him. Before I blacked out, I saw him look horrified. "Relax. He is fine. Your power calmed him down before he rampaged. It was, actually, an extraordinary thing to accomplish." Kari said. I sighed in relief, knowing that Sly was ok. She continued. "Both of you are being brought back to the safehouse now as we speak. Thanks to his gang of friends." I looked at her in confusion. Then I realized what she meant.

"I'm sorry. But, since I'm running out of time, I can only answer one of your many questions." She said. Only one? I have like a million questions, and she could only answer one? How cliché can these moments get? I thought hard about what I should ask. I kept thinking over the past two days. Then, with my eyes wide, I remembered that name.

"Ok, I have a question." I told her. Kari gestured for me to ask. So, I did. "Who is Cromwell and Korma?" I asked. Kari smiled. "You're referring to Lord Cromwell and Lady Korma. Very well. They are two of eight people who contain the ability to produce elements. In other words, Magic. These people were referred to by many names. But the group's considered name was the 'Eight Children.' The Eight Children each produced a single element. These elements were Fire, Earth, Light, Wind, Ice, Water, Darkness, and Dream. Lord Cromwell produced the element of Water while Lady Korma produced the element of Wind." She said. I was shocked beyond words. I never expected those two names to be that interesting. Before I knew it, Kari started disappearing.

"Before I disappear, and you return to the world you reside in, you must know something." She told me. A portal opened behind me and started pulling me in. she shouted out the last thing she said. "You and your friend, Sly, are bounded to those names. Him to Cromwell and you to Korma!" she disappeared. I fell into the portal and white surrounded me.

I jolted up and breathed heavily. An object was knocked off the couch that I was, apparently, occupying. The said-object got up and dusted itself off. "Are you going to hurt me every time you wake up?" it asked. I saw that it was Sly. I jumped off the couch and hugged him tightly. "I thought you were hurt." I cried out. He yelped and groaned in the process. "I… kinda am. Ow!" he shouted. I shot my eyes open and pulled away, seeing his arm held in a cast. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I'm very, truly sorry. Very, very sor-" I was cut off from my apologies when Sly used his left hand's index finger to put over my mouth. "It's fine. You don't have to apologize." He calmly said. I just looked at him as he removed his finger. I also noticed that the sun was coming up. The light danced off drops dripping outside, indicating that it rained.

"What time is it?" I asked. Sly looked over at a clock and saw the time. "It's about…eight o'clock in the morning. Why?" he asked. I smiled and he looked confused. I walked up to him and, this time, gently hugged him while being careful with his injured arm. I was happy that he was okay and found it funny that he felt as if I was too close to him. Three words came out of my mouth as he wrapped his free arm around me. "Happy Birthday, Sly."


	18. Chapter 18: Party Tricks and Games

Chapter 18: Party Tricks and Games – (Sly's P.O.V.)

I was happy. Very happy. I mean, I've never been happier in my entire life. Not only did I not feel depressed about the whole dilemma with Carmelita, but I could actually celebrate my birthday with a smile. Right now, I was in a deep embrace with May. It was "deep" because I didn't want to let go of her. It felt very nice to be hugged by her. Even though my arm was a bit squished and full of pain, it was just a numb feeling compared to the warm arms wrapped around me. Her head was laid on my shoulder and my head was on top of hers.

"If you two are done, could we please get back to reality?" a voice asked. My eyes opened and I pulled back. Looking at one of the rooms, I saw Bentley rolling out with Murray right behind him. May and I stood a foot away from each other. "Sorry. We got caught up in each other's warmth." May answered. I nodded in agreement. "So we saw. Well, first of all, everything is set up in one of the buildings by the Eiffel Tower. Second of all, you two will have time later to cuddle up in each other's arms. And, third of all, happy birthday, Sly." Bentley said, smiling in amusement. I was blushing a red that was the color of Murray's gloves. "Yeah, happy birthday, Sly. You'll be officially seventeen at the end of the day." Murray said. I smiled, but my blush didn't go away any time soon. "Thanks, guys." I replied.

Before I knew it, a blindfold was being placed over my eyes and I couldn't see a thing. I could assume May was the "culprit" since Bentley and Murray were still in my line of sight when it happened. "Now, no peeking, Sly." I already know the plan for today. Bentley told me everything yesterday when you were dressing up in your disguise." She said. I had to smile. She sounded so cheerful when she said that.

A moment later found myself in the Cooper Van, driving down the streets, getting out of the vehicle, and walking a few steps towards something. I was still blindfolded, of course, but I could hear a few conversations in the distance. A hand was placed on my shoulder and one on my back. I was being guided along concrete and we came to a stop. I heard a door open, us walking inside, and the door closing. It was silent for a moment and someone removed my blindfold, only to see that it was completely dark in here, too. I looked around for a few seconds until giving up. Suddenly, a lot of lights turned on at the same time. I had to cover my eyes at the sudden brightness. And then, there was a group singing. I saw all of my friends.

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Sly. Happy birthday to you!" the group sung. I smiled in disbelief as everyone cheered and clapped. There was Bentley, Murray, the Guru, Penelope, Panda King, Dimitri, and May. All my friends were here. My happiness meter just broke through all the way. The rest of our time was spent celebrating.

(Later On)

Everyone was currently fixated on a bottle. We all formed a circle around it and waited for the bottle to stop spinning. This was how we decided to pick a person to be first to give a present to me. I thought it was ridiculous at first, but with a little convincing from everyone, my mind decided to go along with it.

The bottle started to slow down and it stopped while pointing at the Guru. Everyone, including myself, was staring at the Guru as he slowly pushed a small box in my direction. I took it, thanked him, and opened the box to reveal what I think is a sabretooth's actual tooth. I didn't question it because I was being thankful for it. The little game continued with Murray being next, followed by Panda King, Penelope, Bentley, and Dimitri. I received another "Spice Builder" pick-me-up, a "lucky" coin, a new cap, a camo outfit, and disco accessories from each of them, respectively. Last person was May. I looked at her, only to see that her expression was sad. She looked at me. "I'm sorry. But, I don't have a present to give you." She said. I smiled and walked over to her, stopping two feet in front. "It's fine. Besides, you arrived here two days ago." I reassured her. She smiled sadly. "Hey. I got an idea." Bentley said. We all looked at him. "May. Truth…or Dare?" he asked. She looked confused, but proceeded to answer. "Uh… Truth." She replied. Bentley looked a little too happy when she responded, even for him. Then came his question. "How much do you truly love our very own Sly Cooper?" he asked.

Her eyes went wide while my mouth dropped open. Everyone was shocked and bewildered when Bentley asked that. But, May had no choice. I looked back at her and she looked at me. So, I was now, obviously, wondering myself. I mean, we accidentally kissed each other the first morning she spent here. But, I did kinda enjoy it. So, how much did May truly love me?


	19. Chapter 19: Confessions & Conversations

Chapter 19: Confession and Conversations – (May's P.O.V.)

Really? Out of all the questions Bentley could've asked. He had to choose how much I loved Sly? I didn't know what to answer. What would be his reaction if I said a lot? What would be his reaction if I said a little? I was at a fork in this road.

"Umm… can I choose Dare?" I asked. I looked over at everyone and then back at Bentley. "Sorry. You have to tell us since you chose Truth first." He replied. I looked at my feet and played with my fingers. It felt as if someone wanted me to commit suicide. I was shaking a little, thinking over what my answer should be. A few seconds had passed and two blue boots were seen in front of mine. I tilted my head up and saw Sly about twelve inches away from me. He let a small smile play across his face as he rubbed the back of his head. I was going to say something, but Sly intervened.

"Look. You don't have to say anything. I mean, it's a bit crazy, since we're two different people. I don't blame you for feeling this way." He said. My eyes widened at his statement. He was being so noble. Now, I knew what I felt. I smiled to myself and spoke up. "I think there's a way I can do both Truth and Dare." I said, even convincing myself. Everyone looked at me and I looked at all of them before turning my head back to Sly. He looked confused as I grabbed his shoulders and spun us around so that everyone had a side view of us. I took a deep breath and leaned in. I fully closed the distance between us as my lips met his and we shared our actual first kiss. My eyes were closed in bliss, loving every second of this moment. I couldn't help but wonder how Sly felt about this, since I took him by surprise.

(Sly's P.O.V.)

Holy bread and wine. May just landed a "full meal" right on me. But, as I slowly realized it, I was enjoying all of it. Sure, my body was in shock when our lips met, but it soon changed when I closed my eyes. I slowly wrapped my arms around her waist, and she responded by wrapping her arms around my neck. After another few seconds, the need for air ruined the blissful moment. We looked at each other, smiles upon both of our features, as clapping echoed around us in the building. "Guess that answers the question?" I asked. May's response was laying her head on my chest. The atmosphere around us changed as we looked to see Murray bringing out a… five-layered cake? I never saw a cake that huge until now. Guess it was time to make my wish.

(Later On)

It was night by the time the party was done and all my guests/friends were heading home. I sat on top of the building's roof edge while looking out at the stars. Just then, someone sat next to me. I already knew who it was.

What are you thinking about?" May asked. I looked at her, smiling in the process. "What happened a few hours ago. I've never spent my birthday like that in my whole life. It felt so amazing to know there's a lot of people that care about me." I told her. May smiled and then turned her head to the night sky. "Well, of course we care about you. And I say 'we' because you, Bentley, and Murray all took care of me and showed me the sights ever since I arrived here. I also got to help you through your crisis. I've never seen a more genuine smile like yours. It feels great to know that I can help others." She said. I looked back up as well. "You are very sincere. That's a good thing." I told her. "And you're very friendly. That's a good thing, too." She told me. I slid my hand into hers and gripped it gently. She responded back by gripping also. As if this time couldn't get any better, she leaned her head onto my shoulder and closed her eyes. I followed May's example by leaning my head against hers and closing my eyes in the process.

Since we were too caught up in each other's love, we failed to notice the faint glow in our bodies. My eyes opened, though, to see that glow radiating strongly in our chests. I guess our hearts agreed with our relationship. I dismissed the lights and returned to the romantic moment I was sharing with someone I truly cared about. To think, that May and I were able to be together through those crystals. That, along with Friendship and Sincerity, was enough of a sign to know that I truly wasn't alone. It made me feel very wanted. After a few seconds, I stood up and grabbed May in arms, bridal-style, and headed back down, not realizing there were two people on top another building watching us until they disappeared into a portal. She already fell asleep in my arms when we reached the bottom floor. It was nice watching her sleep. I really was lucky. And I intend to keep her safe from any harm. Because she meant too much to me to only let her slip away. This time, I'll make sure I don't lose anyone. Especially May.


	20. Chapter 20: Secrets and Hints

Chapter 20: Secrets and Hints – (?'s P.O.V.)

""The Children of the Water and Wind have opened up their hearts." "Now we just need four more of the Eight Children to follow the same path." "They are coming together faster than anyone could have thought." "Well, we'll keep that in mind. Seeing that Slyferius and Mayara brought their descendants together was a big surprise of this age." "Now, we have to wait even longer to intervene." "Let's continue spying, then. Who's next on our radar?" "It appears the Children of Ice and Dreams are coming close to meeting." "So, a young girl, The Wielder, will now meet a brave white dog, The Changer, and will be the next to have their hearts on the line." "You never know what will happen to them"

To be continued…

 **This concludes the end of my second story. The reason I took so long, with so many others might having the same reason, was because I had a lot of Writer's Block. But, I'm grateful that I managed to get this done with as many ideas I could conjure up. Like my first story, it got off the main plot line I had, but not as much. Anyway, I hope you found this one interesting as well. This, I hope, will be reviewed by many and at least make an impression on someone. As you can tell from this chapter, I've placed another hint on the words for what will the third story be about. There was also a hint in May's dream from one of the chapters. That hint was placed within the girl she talks to. Think about it, her name is Kari. If you add a specific "vowel" in the middle of her name, you'll get the name of one of the two main characters in the next story. I've decided, also, to title the next story, "Sound by Heart." And, before you read that, once I've started posting it up, I suggest you read my first story, "Learning to Love through Music", if you haven't yet because it won't make much sense to others without reading it. So, like the first one, do YOU know who next two of the "Eight Children" will be?**


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